Rabbits can breed for the first time at the age of three months. They have a gestation period of about 31 days and there can be anywhere from 4 to 12 young in each litter. What would be the most likely long-term consequence if a breeding pair of rabbits were released into an ecosystem with no predators large enough to eat a rabbit?

Question

Biology

Jazmine Hardy

17 October, 02:28

Rabbits can breed for the first time at the age of three months. They have a gestation period of about 31 days and there can be anywhere from 4 to 12 young in each litter. What would be the most likely long-term consequence if a breeding pair of rabbits were released into an ecosystem with no predators large enough to eat a rabbit?

+2

Answers (2)

Know the Answer?

Sariah Kim · Answer 1

The rabbit population would grow quickly until all the edible vegetation was gone and then the rabbit population would crash.

Kameron Maynard · Answer 2

They would most likely overpopulate. That sounds like a good thing, but if that happens they would exhaust their food supply way to quickly and they would starve to death. This is why they need a predator, to balance the ecosystem